Far-Out Friday: The Crash at Crush

In September of 1896 there was a whole lot of crushing going on in the world. Captain General Valeriano Weyler, a Spaniard, had been appointed the governor of Cuba. He was determined to “crush Cuba” by separating the rebellious insurgents from the civilian population. William Jennings Bryan was the Democratic candidate for president that year and everywhere Bryan went that month, he was met with a crush of crowds clamoring to hear him speak. On the other hand, Republicans were determined to crush “Bryanism”. The race would be a fierce one – William McKinley was being crushed by crowds wherever he went as well.

The biggest crush, however, was a pre-planned event — the so-called “Crash at Crush”.

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